After seeing a picture of this waterfall for the first time, I was instantly intrigued. At the end of a long, but awesome Colorado trip, I was able to gather up the motivation to drive to Minneapolis, where this waterfall sits in the middle of the city. While it is very high profile and urban, tons of people, and in the very center of the general public, there is something strangely beautiful about this drop. It is complex, twisting, and questionable depth of landing, and has much more to it than just kayaking. A chain was put across the creek just above the lip that was almost a factor that prevented my decision to run it. At the last second, a log pinned against the chain, propping it up enough to get under in the river right eddy, and leaving no choice but to make a scramble ferry back to the left. After three intense days of thinking and scouting, it finally all came together. Very thankful for the outcome, and to wrap the first half of Summer up with a good run in an amazing place. A huge thanks to the safety team that showed up to help and support. While many people watching probably think we are crazy, the real danger in life is hiding in the crowd, and not trying. Do your thing. Call it what you want, but this is what we do, and this is the story of Minnehaha Falls.
Archive for the ‘Kayak, Canoe & Rafting’ Category
The Pacific met the Atlantic last week at the Hawaiian Airlines Liberty Challenge, an international 15-mile canoe race on New York’s Hudson River. It pits ocean-faring racing canoes against “one of the busiest urban waterways in the world,” the longest outdoor regatta on the east coast.
The Liberty Challenge is hosted by the New York Outrigger club, an organization modeled after those in Hawaii, where regatta season is highly competitive every year.
Thirty teams, from such places as … More
KANEOHE – A well-known native Hawaiian koa wood canoe builder is asking for the public’s help in solving a crime.
Bobbie Puakea, who heads the Puakea Foundation, makes koa canoes for several canoe halaus throughout the state.
On Thursday, all the rare koa wood he had finished for a canoe he was building for Honolulu Pearls canoe club, was stolen from his workshop in Heeia State Park. The wood pieces were … More